Security Clearance (SC) Q&A Read first before asking questions

[monkfish]

Complaint to Cabinet Office

The role is an urgent requirement for our client and earliest start will be 6th May 2013

Will it now? Who's going to be starting a new role on a Bank Holiday Monday??

To note after a recent experience with a particularly unsavoury recruitment individual from a well-known agency.

Blatantly advertising for cleared people only and turned out to be a permie job not contract - no excuse!

I sent a note of complaint to the Cabinet Office address over agency's methods some FIVE weeks ago. Yesterday I got a "read receipt" of that email.

Just.. how? I don't even given them the credit of having read it without sending a read receipt. I'm not asking for instant action, but surely that timescale to even read my statement of complaint is unacceptable.

It beggars belief that good people out there cannot necessarily get past the recruiters to get skills and experience in front of the end recruiters soley because of said recruiters and their sorely misguided priorities. Wrong, simply wrong. Grr.

My 0.02

[Sanyari]

Hi,

Newbie here. I know the SC times vary according to demand, time of year etc but does anyone know how long it is taking now? Mine went 'in progress' about 10 days ago. None of my employers, referees etc have been contacted

[BolshieBastard]

TaTa who have taken over the contract with the Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly CRB from Crapita, are making it a condition of all applications that you have current security clearance.

These jobs arent 'urgent' or immediate starts so they are clearly in breach of the Vetting Agency \ Cabinet Office 'advice.'

[BolshieBastard]

Will it now? Who's going to be starting a new role on a Bank Holiday Monday??

To note after a recent experience with a particularly unsavoury recruitment individual from a well-known agency.

Blatantly advertising for cleared people only and turned out to be a permie job not contract - no excuse!

I sent a note of complaint to the Cabinet Office address over agency's methods some FIVE weeks ago. Yesterday I got a "read receipt" of that email.

Just.. how? I don't even given them the credit of having read it without sending a read receipt. I'm not asking for instant action, but surely that timescale to even read my statement of complaint is unacceptable.

It beggars belief that good people out there cannot necessarily get past the recruiters to get skills and experience in front of the end recruiters soley because of said recruiters and their sorely misguided priorities. Wrong, simply wrong. Grr.

My 0.02

I also complained to the address Mal provided. After about 4 weeks, I actually got a reply saying they would investigate alexander mann's statement that the cabinet office's advice only referred to recruiting Government Depts and not agencies like them!

Hopefully, mann got bollocked or better still, debarred as a supplying agent (although I doubt it).

[malvolio]

I also complained to the address Mal provided. After about 4 weeks, I actually got a reply saying they would investigate alexander mann's statement that the cabinet office's advice only referred to recruiting Government Depts and not agencies like them!

Hopefully, mann got bollocked or better still, debarred as a supplying agent (although I doubt it).

I followed that same complaint up at the time through the PCG channels. AMS did get a ticking off, and the point was made to all Rec Agencies that the rules apply to everyone, not just HMG departments.

It's not a big team in the Cabinet Office and they have very limited resources, hence the lack of what you might call personal service. I am assured, however, that they do take all the pratical steps they can to ensure the rules are understood and followed.

[BolshieBastard]

I followed that same complaint up at the time through the PCG channels. AMS did get a ticking off, and the point was made to all Rec Agencies that the rules apply to everyone, not just HMG departments.

It's not a big team in the Cabinet Office and they have very limited resources, hence the lack of what you might call personal service. I am assured, however, that they do take all the pratical steps they can to ensure the rules are understood and followed.

Well TaTa are ignoring it as far as the DDS are concerned. Guess they got the OK after dave said there was an 'open arms' policy to anyone on the sub continent.

[malvolio]

Well TaTa are ignoring it as far as the DDS are concerned. Guess they got the OK after dave said there was an 'open arms' policy to anyone on the sub continent.

Lots of people are ignoring it. However, I hoppe that doesn't extend to TaTa putting unclearable non-UK nationals into cleared posts...

[BolshieBastard]

Lots of people are ignoring it. However, I hoppe that doesn't extend to TaTa putting unclearable non-UK nationals into cleared posts...

I dont know about that. But, I've been cleared twice. Once when working on CRB and latterly to CTC which expired about 4 months ago.

The bob's who did TaTa's telephone interview were insistant that only people with current clearance would be taken on. It was like talking to a chapati!

[zappakat]

Question about transfers (excerpt from gov web site):

In these situations the new employing sponsor submits a request to DBS NSV for the security clearance to be transferred. The ‘Transfer’ request allows DBS NSV to assess the individual’s suitability for transfer of the security clearance and enables the outcome to be recorded against the correct sponsor.

So if you're waiting for the transfer to be confirmed as accepted before you submit a resignation what happens to your current clearance for the role you're still in?

[malvolio]

Question about transfers (excerpt from gov web site):

In these situations the new employing sponsor submits a request to DBS NSV for the security clearance to be transferred. The ‘Transfer’ request allows DBS NSV to assess the individual’s suitability for transfer of the security clearance and enables the outcome to be recorded against the correct sponsor.

So if you're waiting for the transfer to be confirmed as accepted before you submit a resignation what happens to your current clearance for the role you're still in?

Clearance goes with the role. Your current clearance stops when the role does, not when you leave it. And the assessment is to check your current role-based clearance is sufficient for the new role.

So the quick answer is "nothing at all".

Deep, isn't it...